Italian Radical Design at Salone del Mobile 2026

The Italian Radical Design group returned to Salone del Mobile 2026 with an exhibition that marks a new chapter in its story. This year, Gufram, Memphis, and Meritalia® came together in a single environment. They abandoned the idea of individual brand spaces. In doing so, the movement called Italian Radical Design brought its signature collaboration to the forefront.

SALONE DEL MOBILE: WHERE ITALIAN RADICAL DESIGN MAKES ITS MARK

Now in its 64th edition, Salone del Mobile is one of the world’s most important design fairs. It is held every year in Milan. It is where the design industry gathers to present new work. Furthermore, it is where the most relevant names in the field choose to make their mark, especially for anyone interested in the legacy of Italian design that is considered radical.

A SINGLE SPACE FOR ITALIAN RADICAL DESIGN

For this edition, the Italian Radical Design group unified three brands’ design languages in one shared space. This allowed them to speak to one another freely.

Rather than three separate areas, the booth became one space. Gufram’s playful surrealism, Memphis’s bold use of color, and Meritalia®’s fresh take on everyday living coexisted side by side. Here, the impact of Italian Radical creativity and design is shown in every detail.

The architecture studio (AB)NORMAL developed the spatial concept that resulted in a “radical house” built on a structured architecture inspired by the clarity of Palladian neoclassicism. Strong geometric forms defined the interior. Additionally, there was a deliberate tension between order and experimentation, echoing the ethos of Italian Radical Design approaches.

Within this atmosphere, Greta Cevenini, the creative director, arranged pieces from Gufram, Memphis, and Meritalia® freely, without boundaries. As a result, this invited visitors to experience each brand in a new light, reflecting the core principles of Italian Radical design.

GUFRAM

Gufram first started as a small artisan workshop founded in 1966. Today, the world recognizes the brand for its radical spirit and love of experimentation, a perfect fit with the ideals of the Italian design movement, often described as radical.

In the 64th edition of Salone del Mobile, Gufram presented, among its new releases, the reissued Fachiro beanbag chair. Marzio Cecchi originally designed this piece. Fachiro is a challenge to expectation: its spikes and curves are precisely crafted. Still, the piece retains the softness of a leather pouf. In addition, Gufram introduced the Womb seating by Luigi Bistagnino, a cloud-like form designed to make you never want to leave. Furthermore, rounding out the presentation were some of the brand’s most beloved classics. These included PRATONE® Infinito, ANDY’S CACTUS®, and the Dog and Baby seating from the Luna Luna project. This project was developed with the Keith Haring Foundation. Consequently, Italian Radical Design influences are clear throughout the new and classic works alike.

MEMPHIS

Ettore Sottsass founded Memphis in 1981, bringing together a group of young architects and designers. In time, Memphis became a global phenomenon. It introduced a new design language that changed the way we think about living spaces. The Memphis collective remains central to Italy’s Radical Design conversation.

For this reason, Memphis presented a more compact version of the Tawaraya Ring, described as both a piece of furniture and a ring for intellectual exchange. The brand showed this new iteration alongside a selection of historic pieces. These pieces capture the color and vision at the core of the Memphis identity, prominently associated with Italian Radical Design philosophy.

MERITALIA®

Since its founding in 1987, Meritalia® has reflected the shifting needs and tastes of a society in constant evolution. Furthermore, the brand deliberately breaks with convention, building a catalog that is as radical as it is eclectic, an approach that embodies the Italian Radical Design mindset.

Meritalia® presented new furniture pieces, including the upholstered system by Faye Toogood. Objects of Common Interest developed the Bundle duo alongside a collection by Argentine designer Cristián Mohaded. Finally, also on show was the Scoop seating system by Philippe Malouin, a double contoured form that wraps around both seat and back, offering comfort and balance. Here, the influence of Italian Radical innovation and design sensibility was unmistakable.

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